Coroner rebuked over attack on Press in suicide case

A coroner has been given an official rebuke after making an outspoken attack on the Press over its coverage of a male primary school teacher who returned to class as a woman, it emerged yesterday.

Lucy Meadows, who was previously known as Nathan Upton, committed suicide in March four months after reports appeared in newspapers.

While an inquest into the 32-year-old’s death heard that she made no mention of Press coverage in her suicide note, coroner Michael Singleton criticised ‘sensational and salacious’ reporting.

Criticism: It emerged coroner Michael Singleton had been given a rebuke after his handling of the hearing was referred to the Office for Judicial Complaints

He told journalists covering the hearing: ‘Shame on all of you.’

However, it emerged yesterday that Mr Singleton had been given a rebuke after his handling of the hearing was referred to the Office for Judicial Complaints.

He was given ‘informal advice’ by the Chief Coroner on the basis of his comments about the role of the Press, as well as his comment that he had undertaken his own private research into the case, according to the Office for Judicial Complaints.

The rebuke is also understood to have covered his announcement that he planned to write a ‘Section 43’ letter to Culture Secretary Maria Miller based on his private research urging her to take action over the Press to prevent similar suicides in future.

Asked yesterday whether he wished to retract his comments or make an apology, an official in his office said yesterday that Blackburn and Hyndburn coroner Mr Singleton was ‘not available for any comment’.

Parents of children at St Mary Magdalen’s Primary School in Accrington, Lancashire, were told before Christmas that Mr Upton would return to school in the New Year as Lucy Meadows.